First, various polls consistently show that support for banning abortion after 20 weeks is high. A Washington Post poll found that two-thirds of Americans are in favor of at least a 20 week abortion ban. Even the Huffington Post, a pro-abortion publication, conducted a poll showing that a majority of Americans support a late-term abortion ban. Dozens of states now ban abortion after 20 weeks.

Second, the Constitution calls for the government to protect “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”A fetus is undeniably a life.

To Planned Parenthood’s third point, unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that all abortion will ever be banned. This bill allows abortions after 20 weeks under certain circumstances, such as rape. For pro-lifers, a ban on all abortions is the goal, however far-fetched, and this bill is a step in the right direction.

Furthermore, it is asinine for Democrats and Planned Parenthood to view this bill as an unrealistic or unfair compromise. Fetuses can feel pain after 20 weeks. Ultrasounds of late-term abortions show the fetus retracting in pain and frantically moving away from the doctor. It is barbaric to allow this to continue.

Will it Pass the Senate?

The bill has passed the House, but it still awaits a vote in the Senate. The House passed a similar bill in 2015, but the Senate failed to pass it. It is unlikely that the Senate will pass the bill this time. The bill needs sixty votes to pass, and Republicans only have 52 seats. Garnering votes for this bill from any Democrats will be nearly impossible.

That the House passed the bill is a victory in itself, as it shows how life issues remain a priority to this Congress, and even to the White House, who released this statement regarding the bill:

The bill, if enacted into law, would help to facilitate the culture of life to which our Nation aspires. Additionally, the bill would promote a science-based approach to unborn life, as recent advancements have revealed that the physical structures necessary to experience pain are developed within 20 weeks of fertilization.

While the Trump administration and the House clearly support this bill, its life or death rests in the hands of the Senate.